Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has welcomed Government plans to adopt some measures she put forward to tackle child sexual Exploitation.

She was invited to Downing Street on Tuesday to give her views at a top-level summit on child protection, where Prime Minister David Cameron announced that teachers, social workers and those in authority who fail to protect children could face jail.

He also declared child sex abuse a ‘national threat’ and offered support for victims.

The summit was organised in the wake of a series of damning reports on child sex abuse in Rotherham, including one by Professor Alexis Jay which found 1,400 children were abused over 16 years while those in authority turned a blind eye because of sensitivities around the ethnicity of offenders.”

Ms Champion said: “This is an issue much bigger than politics and the country needs to come together to help eradicate such a horrendous crime.

“I’m glad that the Government are finally treating this matter with the importance it requires; though it has been over six months since the release of Professor Alexis Jay’s report.

“I am also pleased to see further funding coming to South Yorkshire and Rotherham, to help victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation. I have been pressing the Government for more resources for months and £1.2 million will obviously be of great benefit.

“Long term investment is still needed however, to ensure that we can continue to help victims and survivors and ultimately get the justice they deserve.

“We now need to make sure these measures are scaled out across the country. Child sexual exploitation is not exclusive to Rotherham, it is a national issue. It’s now vital that we move forward and tackle this crime with urgency.”

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